Evaluation of the sequential coupling of a bacterial treatment with a physicochemical process for the remediation of wastewater containing Cr and organic pollutants.

A restoration strategy was developed for the treatment of two artificial liquid systems (Minimal Medium, MM, and Water Carbon Nitrogen, WCN) contaminated with Cr(VI), lindane (γ-HCH), phenanthrene (Phe), and reactive black 5 (RB5), through the use of an actinobacteria consortium, coupled with a physicochemical treatment using a column filled with nano-scale zero valent iron particles immobilized on dried Macrocystis pyrifera algae biomass. The Sequential Treatment A (ST: physicochemical followed by biological method) removed the three organic compounds with different effectiveness; however, it was very ineffective for Cr(VI) removal. The Sequential Treatment B (ST: biological followed by the physicochemical method) removed the four compounds with variable efficiencies.